NDP Offsets Most Costs, Host One of the Least Expensive National Premiers’ Conference

February 12, 2013

NDP MLA Mat Whynott said his government offset almost 70 per cent of the cost to host the recent Premiers’ conference making the 2012 event in Halifax one of the cheapest ever held in the country.

“The right-wing Taxpayer’s Federation and Kevin Lacey, the former Conservative staffer who runs the organization, have missed the mark. The $37,000 in costs to the Province was a fraction of the $150,000 the previous Conservative Government spent when Nova Scotia last hosted,” said Whynott. “In fact, his Conservatives paid more for gifts in 2002 than it cost Nova Scotians to host the entire conference in 2012.”

Each province takes turns hosting the Premiers’ conference. Each province has provided delegates with items promoting their region. In 2012, Nova Scotia cut back the promotional items in comparison to previous years and then found sponsors to cover most of the costs.

“Mr. Lacey’s Conservative Government spent almost five times as much in 2002 including $12,000 for golf shirts and $3,300 for crystal wine carafes. It’s the same government who wasted more than $200,000 on kiddie ATVs and yet cut funding for transition houses,” said Whynott. “It’s ironic to hear him complain when we ran one of the lowest cost Premier’s conference ever held and his government ran costs up five times higher.”